TRADING

A veritable hub for buying and selling anything from coffee to titanium

Trading has been a well-established activity in the canton of Vaud for a number of decades now and one which makes a significant contribution to the economy, employing talented people from around the world. This niche expertise can be seen in the coffee sector in particular, with such companies as Keurig Trading and Starbucks Coffee Trading.

Raw materials trading represents over 35,000 jobs in Switzerland and contributes more than tourism to the GDP (3.8% or 25 billion francs per year). "Companies set up business where there are industrial clients and sector expertise," explains Stéphane Graber, general secretary of the Swiss Trading and Shipping Association (STSA).

The STSA is the leader when it comes to training for trading-industry jobs in Switzerland. The University of Lausanne and the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne also offer educational programs related to trading, such as the management of natural resources. The Swiss Research Institute on Commodities also works closely with businesses in the sector as well as the STSA and the Swiss Coffee Trade Association with the aim of promoting academic research.